Gas bleeder



Nov. 13, i923. www@ F. H. WILLCOX GAS BLEEDER Filed May 16 1921 Patented Nova lli,

FREERTCK EI. `WILLCUX, CHICGC, ILLEOS, T0 FREYN, Fa

A COR'EGRATION OF IWAINE.

GAS BLEEDER.

Application led May 16,

To @ZZ fio/tom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERICK iinncex, a citizen or" the United States, j at Chicago, in the county oit Cook and risate of llinois, have invented certain new and' useful Tmprovements in Gas Bleeders, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to a new and improved bieeder and more particularly to means associated with the bleeder adapted to'ignite the gas discharged therefrom.

In certain industrial uses of gas, particularly, 'for example, in connection with blast Yturnace or similar gases, means are provided in connection with the gas lines whereby gas may be bled to the atmosphere when the gas pressure in the lines exceeds a predetermined limit. Tt is highly undesirable that the gas be allowed to escape adjacent workings where it may become ignited or where it may prove injurious toV the workmen. Tt is customary to run the bleeder pipes up to a level of twenty or thirty 'feet above the ground and then discharge the excess gas to the atmosphere. Tn man r cases7 due to winds or other air currents, the gas may be swept down into the working rooms or shops and be a source of danger or discomfort. This has refernce7 oi course7 to relativelyV cold gas or jas at such a temperature that it does not spontaneously vignite when reaching the atmosphere.

lt is an object ot the present invention to provide means associated with a bleeder valve to ignite the gas discharged trom the valve. l

lt is a tui-ther object to provide means adapted to interinix the gas with air in order that it may be more adequately consinned.

lt is also an object to provide means whereby the ignition system is automatically thrown into operation upon the opening oit the valve.

It is a still further object to provide means associated with the bleeder discharge whereby to provide a contact point tor the llame and to prevent the iame from floating away from the discharge point.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Broadly, my invention comprises a mix.-

1921. serial No. 470,213.

ing chambe associated with the bloede;` discharge nozzle and with spark plugs oisimilar ignition devices located toward discharge end et the mixing chamber. turther includes a wire mesh support beyond the discharge opening and. in the path ci" the gases, and additional ignt' means located beyond the mesh, This c serves as the contact point tor the dan T have illustrated a preferred embodi-A ment in the accompanying drawings in which- ,Figure l is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional view illustratingl my invention; and I Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 oit Figure l.

As shown in the drawings. the gas bleeder pipe 3 is controlled by the valve d carrieffl on shaft 5 and actuated by rod 6. The rod 6 carries the counterbalance T and has connected at its 'further end the actuating` wire or cable 8. This cable 8 is connected to any automatic valve operating` means (not shown). This means is old in the art and forms no part of the present invention and 4eed not be further described other than to say that it operates to pull down upon the cable 8 and thus open the valve #l whenever the gas pressure exceeds a prede-- termined limit. The bleeder pipe 2 is provided with the reduced discharge end i) which opens into the mixing chamber il). This chamber is 'formed by the. member ill. the flaring skirts oi" the member being connected to the portion 9 by means brackets 13. The spark plugs Yl/-lf lo cated in the upper end ot the member il. The screen l5 carried in the frame i6 is supported above the upper end oi the member 1]. by brackets 1'?. Brackets i8 support spark plugs 19 beyond the screen.

An electrical circuit comprises the wires 2l, 22, leading :trom a source et high tension current (not shown). The wire 22 is grounded to the member ll at the point 23. The wire 2l is connected to the Contact 24 supported on bracket 25 and separated therefrom by insulation 26. The contact 27 similarly is supported on the bracket Q5. The wire 28 connects the Contact 27 to the several spark plugs 14 and 18. Since these spark plugs have their opposite sides in contact with the ground connected to the wire 22, the several spark plugs are connected in parallel between the Wire 28 and the ground.y The Contact 29 is carried by the operating lever 6,'being insulated therefrom by the insulation 30. Y

My device in its normal position with the parts as shown in Figure l has the circuit to the spark plugs broken. W hen the lever 6 is pulled down to open the valve 4i, the contact 29 Closes the circuit between contacts 2a and 27 and the spark gap of the plugs is bridged by the spark. rilhe gas passing out of the opening 9 and up through the mixing chamber l0 draws'with it air betv-:een theV skirts l2 and the portion 9 ot the bleeder pipe. rlhis air, with the gas, Yforms, a combustible Vmixture which is ignited by the plugs 14. Portions, however, ci the gas Will not be completely burned but'vvill oass on through the screen l5 which will serre to hold down and break the dame caused l he inner spark plugs. rlhis portion et th passing out through the screen l5 is ignited by the plugs 19 and 'forms a thune above the screen, the screen providing a contact point for the Haine. This particular construction is or' great importance in preventing the tlame from blowing and Heating away Vfrom the end ot the bleeder pipe.

My device is very simple and'may be readily attached without great expense to existing bleeder discharge pipes. its use in ex! isting installations avoids the danger and discomfort due to gas blowing about the Works, and on new installations the use oli' my device will avoid the necessity for carrying the bleeder discharge pipe to great heights in the attempt to avoid having` the discharged into the Works. rEhe torni of electrical circuit shown in semen/hat diagram matic and it is to be understood that var L ing types of switches and switch operating means may be used. Further modifications of the elements oi' my device may be made Within the scope of the appended claims in orderto adapt the apparatus ior varying uses.

I claim:

l. In combination with a bleeder valve of a gas system, an air and gas mixing head associated with the valve discharge port, and means located in said head adapted to ignite gas therein. l

2. In combination With a bleeder valve of `'the valve discharge port, and means located a gas system, a mixing headassociated with in said head adapted to' ignite gas therein,

said means comprising spark gaps in an electrical circuit normally brolren, and adapted to be closed bythe opening ot the bleeder valve. v f 60 3. In combination with a bleeder valve ot'l a gas system, a mining head associated with the valve discharge port, a screen lorant jacent the discharge end of the in' and in the patho't gases disclrL from, and means located beyonfl adapted to ignite gas passing in combination'with a ble Va gas system, a mixing head associated with the valve discharge porta screen located ad jacent the discharge end of the m l and in the. path of' gases dischar from, andmeans located beyont adapted to ignite gas passing tl said means comprising spark gaps i trical circuit normally broken, an(` adapted to be closed by the operation ot the bleedcr valve.

. 5. In combination with a bleeder ot a gas system, a mixing head associated with the valve discharge port, means located in said head adapted to ignite gas therein, a screen located adjacent the discharge end of the mixing head and Vin the path ci gases discharged therefrom, and means located in said head and beyond said screen adapted to ignite gas both in the head and beyond 'the screen.

G Vin combination Wit-h a bleeder Valve, l of a gas system, a. screen located in the path of the gas discharged from the bleeder valve, and means beyond the screen adapted to ignite gas passing therethrough.

7. In combination with a bleeder valve of a gas system, a screen located in the path of the gas discharged from the bleeder valve, and means beyond the screen adapted Vto ignite gaspassing therethrough, said means comprising spark gaps in an electrical circuit normallybroken, and adapted to be closed bythe operation of the bleeder valve.

Signed at Chicago,

May, 1921. Y Y

FREDERICK n. WrLLooX.

lOO

nunon, uns. n day or 

